6 things we can do when anxiety hits

This past week I've been dealing with higher than normal anxiety levels. While I know the reason why, and I know what needs to happen for the anxiety to go away, It doesn't feel as easy a and linear as "solve X problem = no anxiety". I worry. I worry about whether I'm making the right decisions for myself and for my family. I feel guilty that maybe my choices are causing unnecessary uncertainty, and I feel this strange type of worry that is just there, but not associated with any specific thing.

I've considered myself fortunate that my anxiety comes and goes. It's not there all the time. It's "situational" or "circumstantial", and that means that I'm usually able to get back to a less anxious state without the help of prescription meds. I realize this is not the case for those who have chronic anxiety, and I empathize.

I'm here writing this blog post from my personal context. I'm not a therapist or a trained medical professional, so this is not meant to replace medical treatment for anxiety. These tips might help those who, like me, fall into circumstantial anxious loops on occasion.

This past week, my anxiety has flared up because of health insurance. I had spent most of the week worrying about this and and trying to figure out how to contain our health insurance costs as self-employed, especially now that that the ACA plans are more expensive due to cuts in subsidies. This made me feel helpless and a bit bitter about the healthcare system in the US. We life in what many believe is "the best country in the world", and I love living here, but the reality of healthcare costs makes me sad and worried. People who get sick shouldn't be financially ruined, and medical industry should have some kind of price capping. The costs are completely absurd.

Though I haven't been able to completely figure out a solution yet, I was able to get myself to a calmer and more grounded state of mind by doing several things.

Here are the activities I did this week that helped me get into a more calm state of mind:

1) I took a walk

It's amazing what a nice walk can do. There are scientific studies that support evidence that taking a walk can have calming and healing effects. It's not just the physical aspect but the mental impact too. Apparently when we walk and look at nature, especially as our eyes naturally move from side to side as we're walking, that movement helps our brains process difficult feelings. This phenomenon was what started EMDR Therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). I took two walks this week: one on Wednesday and one today (Sunday). Both of them helped me feel better. I also think it's because I was out in the sun and got some vitamin D, which helps especially during the winter.

2) I worked on a puzzle

On Labor day weekend, I dog-sat for my friends Alex and Milton, and as a thank you gift, they gave me a really nice wooden puzzle of a little dog that looks a lot like their dog Cooper (aka "mi sobrino"- my nephew... I love Cooper so much!). Working on the puzzle when I'm feeling anxious helps me get away from the screens and do something manual with my hands. Working on something tactile has a calming effect. It's something that can pull me into the moment, and help me focus on the image of the puzzle and how the pieces fit together, rather than all my worries.

3) I journaled

I have had a practice of journaling for a long time, and believe it or not, I journal on google spreadsheet (spreadsheet nerd here). Sometimes when I talk to people about my journaling, and depending on whether or not they have a journaling practice, they might think it's a long and over-involved process. But it's not. I've made it so my journaling is quick and easy to do. It can take just a few minutes or longer if I have more time. I don't journal every day. I only journal when I feel the need to. That means sometimes I'll go a month without journaling. And sometimes I'll journal twice in a week. Usually I use the same 4 prompts:

• What are you grateful for?

• What are you proud of?

• What would you have done differently?

• How are you feeling?

I have been answering these prompts on my spreadsheet for about 8 years now. They ALWAYS make me feel better. Sometimes my answers are brief. Sometimes they're longer. The first and second questions help me remember and name positive things of my current situation and recent past. The third one gives me the opportunity to rewrite certain situations if needed. The 4th question is usually the one that helps me process current stressors. I sometimes cry when answering that one. That's also the place where I talk about what I need to do going forward, and where I land on solutions for myself.

4) I danced

On Monday I was in a funk about the health insurance situation. At night, I went to a free salsa social that happens every other Monday at one of my favorite bars. At the social, I danced and saw friends. I had some laughs, and moved my body to salsa and bachata. I left feeling lighter and with a smile. Dancing an music have healing effects!

5) I rested

Several days this week, I prioritized rest. I sat on my most comfortable chair and let my body fully relax. I drank relaxing tea and took deep breaths. I wore comfortable clothing, Wrapped myself in cozy warm blankets and wore cozy socks. All these acts helped me relax and eel like I'm taking care of myself. I also gave myself permission to not keep chasing after my to-do list, and I didn't do a podcast episode this week. I felt I needed this break. It was helpful to slow down and not do so much. Take a break and spend time resting and enjoying life's simple pleasures.

6) I baked

Baking is not a skill I'm particularly good at. Much like Karaoke and general cooking, baking is something I try doing sometimes but the result doesn't come out like I'd want it to. I think one of the reasons my baking fails is that I get liberal with recipe adjustments! They say you're not supposed to do that when baking, LOL! Yet I haven't learned my lesson. On Thursday I made Christmas cookies. I adapted an old recipe from my friend Sarah. I had learned this from her when I lived in Kansas sometime before 2008... She mixes lime jell-o into her sugar cookie recipe. The cookies come out green with a lime taste. Her cookies were great! My cookies turned out too flour-y... oh well! At least the activity kept me occupied for a couple of hours and I can make fun of my lackluster baking skills.

That's my nephew Cooper on my lap, and the puzzle that, once complete, will help me be like a little portrait of him

Those are the ill-fated green cookies I'm talking about

After doing all these things and giving myself the time I needed to rest. I still felt some spots of anxiety, but not as intense. I'm trying to center myself and those 6 activities have helped me get back to my center.

I hope these tips can serve as a helpful reminder to you if you're going through an anxious time.

(I did NOT use any AI help in writing this blog post)